chapter 9, section 4 the turning point editor’s note: casualties # of dead, wounded, missing, or...
TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER 9, SECTION 4
The Turning Point
Editor’s note: Casualties # of dead, wounded, missing, or captured (specific # of dead)
ROAD TO GETTYSBURG
McClellan slow after Antietam Lee recovered & blocked Union advance on Richmond Lincoln = OUTRAGED
Lincoln wanted a General not intimidated by Lee Gave Ambrose Burnside command of Army of the Potomac
Two battles before Gettysburg prove disastrous for Union Fredericksburg Chancellorsville
FREDERICKSBURG
Date: December 11-15, 1862 (VA) Union Command: Burnside (100,007) Conf Command: Lee (72,497)
Why Burnside wants to crush Lee’s army by maneuvering against his southern flank; Union troops attempt to assault fortified Confederate position on top of Marye’s Heights
Result–HEAVY losses for Union; Confederate victory; Burnside replaced by Hooker six weeks later
Casualties=Union 13,353 (1,284) Conf 4,576(608)
CHANCELLORSVILLE
Date: April 30-May 6, 1863 (VA) Union Command: Hooker (97,382) Confederate Command: Lee (57,353)
Why Hooker planned to circle behind Rebels to attack; Lee knows the plan & tricks Union by leaving a small force in Fredericksburg; Lee then attacks Hooker’s advancing troops in the dense woods of town
Result–Rebel victory considered Lee’s greatest; Jackson is mortally wounded by own men after night scouting; Lee decides to invade North again
Casualties=Union 17,200(1,606) Conf 12,700(1,665)
GETTYSBURG
Dates: July 1-3, 1863 (PA)
Why- Lee wanted to invade North, again Collect supplies from Pennsylvania farmland Take fighting away from war-ravaged Virginia Threaten northern cities/weaken desire to fight Win a major battle to strengthen peace movement in the North
Hooker failed to stop Lee from advancing into Pennsylvania Lincoln replaces him w/ George Meade
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG
Union Command: Meade 93,921 men
Conf Command: Lee 71,699 (1st major battle w/o Stonewall Jackson)
Day 1- July 1, 1863 Parts of the 2 armies accidentally collide on July 1 outside of the town
Reinforcements sent in Rebels drive back Union forces to the hills south of town Cemetery Hill, Culp’s Hill, & Little Round Top Union positioned on higher ground
DAY 2- JULY 2, 1863
Union line resembles a fishhook Enabled easy movement of troops & supplies
Confederates launch full-scale assault on Union positions at Little Round Top If Rebels take the position, their artillery can fire down the Union line
Savage fighting and HEAVY loss of life
Union repelled attack & held positions
DAY 3- JULY 3, 1863
Lee believed Union overcompensated troops at Little Round Top Plan attack “weakened” center of Union line at
Cemetery Ridge Lee ordered every Rebel artillery gun to bombard the
Ridge before an infantry attack
Pickett’s Charge 12,500 Rebel infantry under George Pickett & A.P. Hill Marched ¾ mile over open field to attack Cemetery Ridge
The most daring and most deadly maneuver of war Union artillery battered advancing Confederate line Union troops protected by trenches & barricades drive
Rebel forces back 7,000 confederate casualties
GETTYSBURG- RESULTS
Union Casualties: 23,049 (3,155)
Conf Casualties: 28,063 (3,903)
Winner Union: TURNING POINT OF WAR
Lee leads retreat back to Virginia Confederacy never recovers from the loss of life
Meade does not pursue the staggering Rebels Lincoln not happy
GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
November 19, 1863 Lincoln visited GettysburgDedicated part of battlefield as cemetery for fallen Union men
Issued the Gettysburg AddressArguably the greatest speech in American History
VICKSBURG: IMPORTANCE
Union controlled Mississippi River delta after capture of New Orleans
Union controlled Mississippi River in the northern part of the Confederacy after Shiloh
Vicksburg last Confederate stronghold on river
If Union captures Vicksburg Controlled the whole river & Confederacy is cut in 2
VICKSBURG: GRIERSON’S RAID
Grant can’t attack city from the north Land too swampy & unforgiving
Grant’s plan March past the city on the west bank of river Cross river onto east bank & attack from the south
Grant orders Col. Benjamin Grierson to distract Confederates while Union maneuvers troops 1,700 cavalry raid Mississippi countryside 600 miles in 2 weeks Tear up railroads, burn weapon depots, & fight skirmishes
VICKSBURG: THE CAMPAIGN
Most successful Union campaign of war Union marched 180 miles in 17 days
Fought 5 battles after crossing back over the river 7,200 Confederate casualties Captured Jackson, MS
Grant forced Confederates back into defenses at Vicksburg Launched two unsuccessful assaults
City defenses too strong
VICKSBURG: THE SIEGE
Date: May 18-July 4, 1863 (Mississippi) Union Command: Grant (77,000) Conf Command: Pemberton (33,000)
Plan Grant put Vicksburg under siege for 6 weeks Cut off food/supplies Bombard city around the clock
Soldiers began eating horses, mules, dogs, & shoe leather Confederate citizens shoot Confederate soldiers foraging
their gardens Soldiers suffer from dysentery, scurvy, hallucinations
Result–Pemberton finally surrenders on the day after North wins at Gettysburg; Union controls the vital Mississippi River
Casualties= Union 4,910 (806); Confederacy 32,492 (805) Confederacy 29,620 captured or missing
THE BATTLE FOR TENNESSEE
Chattanooga, TN = vital Southern railroad junctionKnown as the “Gateway to the Lower South” If Union captured city control major railroad running to Atlanta, GA
Aug. 1863 Union General William Rosencrans forced Rebels to evacuate Chattanooga w/o a fightConfederates did not retreat far
CHICKAMAUGA
Date: September 18-20, 1863 (GA) Union Command: Rosecrans (60,000) CSA Command: Bragg, Longstreet (65,000)
Why Rebels wanted to reoccupy Chattanooga; Bragg launched surprise attack on Union when they crossed into Georgia
Result–Longstreet’s men exploit a gap in Rosecrans's line and Union retreats back into Chattanooga
Casualties=Union 16,170 (1,657) Conf 18,454(2,312)
CHANGE IN THE WEST
Lincoln reinforced Rosencrans w/ some of Meades’ men from the east20,000 troopsResupplies artillery, horses, & equipment
November 1863 Lincoln promoted Grant to overall Commander of the WestRushed his men to ChattanoogaCharged & defeated Confederates on Lookout Mountain
CHATTANOOGA
Date: November 23-25, 1863 (Tennessee) Union Command: Grant(56,359) Confederate Command: Bragg(44,010)
Plan Rebels have high position on Missionary Ridge; Grant orders Gen. Sherman to attack north end but fails to break through; Grant plans limited attack in front of Missionary Ridge as a diversion
Result- Union troops surprisingly overrun Rebel forces after charging up the Ridge; Union controls “Gateway to Lower South”
Casualties: Union 5,815 (753) Conf 6,670 (361)
GRANT BECOMES GENERAL-IN-CHIEF
Ulysses S. Grant Captured Vicksburg: gave Union control of Miss. River Captured Chattanooga: gave Union eastern Tennessee
North could now invade Georgia
March 9, 1864 Grant becomes Commanding General-in-Chief of all Union forces Lincoln believed Grant was the man to win the war
Grant promoted to rank of Lieutenant General 1st man since George Washington